


Repressed Life

by Chickadee65



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/M, I don't know how graphic this is going to be but I will add tags as needed, Obsessive Behavior, Reader is Ardyn's Reincarnated s/o, Reader is their own person and is very much not ok with these strange memories/feelings, Stalking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2019-08-30 03:00:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16756573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chickadee65/pseuds/Chickadee65
Summary: You were just an Insomnia native with a bookstore in Lestallum. You weren't anything special, not in your mind anyways. Little did you know that you were very special to a very dangerous man.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Somebody commented on a fic of mine and inspired this story! This is my first attempt at writing a multi-chapter fic and I don't really know how to map these things out or how often I'll update, but it's definetly a story that I want to see to the end.

You quietly hummed as you went about the start of your day, dusting shelves that housed a quaint selection of books, making sure to put food out for your cat, Mims, and returning any stray books back to their respective homes. You winced slightly as you opened the blinds at the front of the small bookstore, the morning sun beaming through the glass and bathing everything in a warm glow.

 

You grabbed your keys and prepared to unlock the doors to your shop, your hands shaking with barely contained glee at the thought that you finally had a store of your own, the excitement still fresh after owning the space for a few weeks. It had been your dream since graduating from high school back in Insomnia, to one day have your own bookstore after you had been charmed by the few stores that littered your neighborhood. Alas, as you grew older and realized how costly not only living but owning a business in the Crown City would be you had to put your dreams on hold.

 

Unlocking the door you thought about your friends who told you about the possibility of moving outside of the city and into Lestallum. You were nervous at first. With the war, any thought of leaving the safety of the city walls was met with anxiety. But as you did your research you discovered that a place in Lestallum was exactly what you were looking for and after months of planning and budgeting you found yourself on the move. You couldn't have asked for a better space. The shop was just small enough to feel intimate, but still large enough to hold an ample amount of books that ensured variety in their contents, and your apartment was close by so you never had to worry about long walks to and from work.

 

You opted to go for an open door policy for now, the heat of the sun hadn’t set into the stones of the street and made the air comfortable enough to relax in without the aid of air conditioning. After giving your store a quick glance to make sure everything was in place you moved towards your desk and pulled out your favorite book, flipped it open to your bookmark, and began to read as you waited for any curious souls or avid readers to stop buy. A soft meow and a gentle nudge at your calf stole your attention for a moment as you reached a hand down to pet Mims. He was an old thing, fur as black as the night with eyes that were the color of topaz. He made for wonderful company during the lazy, hot days in Lestallum, preferring to stay by your side as long as you gave him food, water, and attention.

 

Your eyes followed him as he ambled over to his food bowl, finally content with your pets and scratches to leave you alone for a while. You sighed and went back to your book. Your shop never had a high number of attendance, and somedays saw no customers at all, but still you were happy. You had only been open for a short while but you still had some regulars and could always count on curious travelers to stop by and poke around. Granted, you had to work a side job at one of the local eateries to make sure that you could pay your rent and bills, but it wasn’t such hard work that left you physically and emotionally exhausted. You heard shuffling at the entrance and looked up to see a group of teens enter the shop. You greet them, answered a question of where to find a certain genre of book, and then got back to reading.

 

It was honestly quite the dream you were living. Your own store, a cute old cat, and sure a second job but not a hard one, a nice place to live, and even a few acquaintances to keep you from being too lonely. You still spoke to your friends from Insomnia, and yes you missed them, but compared to the hectic life of city living, Lestallum seemed like a paradise.

 

Most of the day was quiet. There would be the occasional visitor and the odd sale every now and again, but for the most part you would quietly welcome and then bid farewell to the visitors of your small shop. The lack of customers made for a relaxing day and you managed to get halfway through your book, even after the many distractions that Mims brought into your life. You were cleaning up his latest distraction, Mims apparently being offended at the propped up books on a shelf he was resting on and promptly bapped them to the floor, when you heard someone cough behind you. You inwardly sighed, it was almost time for you to close shop and then head to your second job and you really didn’t want to chase anybody out of the store. Still, you straightened up, placed the books in a stack on the low shelf, and turned around, tracking your eyes around the store to make sure that there were no other surprise visitors before landing on the figure that had stood behind you.

 

Any polite greeting that you had prepared died on your tongue when you saw the man standing just inside the entrance to your store. He was tall, that much was obvious, and dressed head to toe in layers upon layers of clothing from a long coat to a few scarves and even a hat that sat atop his wine colored hair. His face was partially hidden behind the locks of hair and from the hat that was tipped slightly downward and you only had one thought on your mind.

 

_Aren’t you hot?_

 

“Aren’t you hot?”

 

Shit.

 

Shit shit shit. What kind of a welcome is that?! You were sputtering a bit at your own question and felt your face grow hot. What in the world happened to your mental filter? You were still busy being mortified by your own actions when the mystery man cleared his throat, successfully catching your attention, before removing his hat and giving a small bow.

 

“Good day to you, and my deepest apologies if I gave you a fright,” he stood back up and placed his hat back on his head. He had a small smirk on his face that you could now see with the hat no longer perched so forward on his head. You were taken back a bit as you took in the handsome and rugged features and took a deep breath to try and calm down for an entirely different reason.

 

The man started to pace a bit in the area between you and the door, arms held out in an almost theatrical display. “I was just passing through when I heard talk of a new store in this lovely town,” he now looked directly at you and took a few steps in your direction. You had to fight the urge to step back, not wanting to seem intimidated by this man if he ended up being a threat to you or your store. “...And I felt the urge to stop by and see what kind of establishment had open its doors.”

 

He was just outside of your personal space bubble and held out his hand to you in what you assumed was a very belated greeting. _He even made the simple act of holding out his hand seem dramatic. Who is this guy?_ “W-well, I’m certainly glad that talk of my store is starting to spread out across Lestallum. Only good news, I hope?” You took his hand firmly, still trying to hide your nerves, and gave it a small shake. “I’m Y/N, and this is my bookstore, Pawsitively Priceless.”

 

Mims let out a small mewl at the name of the store and you had to fight back the urge to coo at him. _Now isn’t the time, I need to look strong!_

 

You looked the man straight in the eyes, trying to make yourself seem as unaffected by his presence as possible. There was just something about him that tripped your fight or flight response, and despite how handsome he appeared you knew it was no indication for what type of person he was. The man, still no name, flashed you a feral looking grin before schooling his features and returning your handshake. He seemed to be amused by your behavior if the mirth dancing in his eyes was any indication. You felt more annoyed now than threatened and pulled your hand back with as much grace as possible. You might be annoyed, but he was still a visitor and possibly a customer.

 

“Please, feel free to look around. But I am closing in about 10 minutes.” And with that you turned around and went back to rearranging the books on the shelf, taking care to prop them up just outside of Mims’ reach. You tensed a bit when you heard the man huff out a quiet laugh followed by purposefully heavy footsteps approaching you once more. But thankfully he simply walked passed you towards a section of books, his fingers trailing lightly over the spins. You let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding and did your best to get back to business as usual.

 

You had hoped that your very obvious cleaning routine would have clued the man into the fact that you were actually closing soon and would make his visit a short one. The Gods weren’t on your side today, apparently, as the stranger stayed within your store until you had to verbally tell him that you were now closed and that he had to leave. You were honestly tempted to just shut the lights out on him, still slightly miffed at his earlier behavior and the fact that he was now staying past his welcome, but you didn’t want to be rude. You didn’t enjoy confrontation and one meeting with a particularly unpleasant woman made you vow to avoid any kind of verbal aggression towards anyone.

 

You made your way back to your desk to close out the drawer and heard the man’s heavy footsteps approach the front of the store. _Please leave please leave please leave...shit._ He stopped in front of your desk and unceremoniously dropped a large book on the counter. “Ah, a book of deities and legends?” you tried to mask the disappointment in your voice with false interest. You really needed to leave and make it to your other job, and every second spent not closing the store would be spent trying to explain to the manager why you were late. You checked the price of the book and rang it up on the register. It was a large, older book, and probably out of print which of course meant the price was more than what most people would be willing to pay.

 

“Okay, that’ll be 2,056 gil,” oh, it even hurt to say the price. You had a small collection of rare books, something you were able to gather due to some of your connections in Insomnia, but they were all so pricey that customers would usually turn their nose up at them. Looking at the man you think he might be having similar feelings as he lets out a sigh and offers you an almost convincing apologetic look.

 

“I-if it’s too much I have some recommendations for similar books and-”

 

“No, no. That’s not the issue.”

 

You paused and waited for him to continue. His lips turn up into a smirk and he shrugs his shoulders. “I appear to have forgotten my wallet, so sorry to waste your time.”

 

_You could at least actually act like you’re sorry_

 

You could only offer a small nod and grabbed the book, preparing to put it under the desk so that you could place it back in its spot tomorrow. _Come on, I really need to go._ You look past the man at the front of the shop and judge by the light that the sun had nearly finished setting. The man’s deep voice interrupted your actions. “Ah, actually, my dear, may I ask for a favor?”

 

 _I’m not ‘your dear’._ Somehow you bit back the sigh that was desperate to escape you and gave him a look that prompted him to continue.

 

“If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, could you possibly hold this book for me? I would love to have it and promise to return tomorrow, wallet in tow.” He placed his hand over his heart, as if to seal the deal, and you could see that same mirth from earlier in his golden eyes. You inwardly groaned, thinking of how late you were going to be for your shift, and pulled out a pen and a pad of paper.

 

“Of course, sir. I just need your name.” You held the pen to the paper and looked to the man, waiting for a response.

 

“...Ardyn” Gods the way the syllables rolled off of his tongue made it seem like he was growling.

 

“Ardyn?” you asked, trying to prompt him to give a last name. It wasn’t mandatory, but it made it easier for when people shared names.

 

“Just Ardyn will suffice. It’s not a very common name.” His voice became curt.

 

“O-okay then, Ardyn. I’ll keep the book on hold for three days in case you don’t make it in tomorrow. After that, it’s free game.” Your nerves were on fire again. Why did he refrain from giving you a last name? Why did that bother you so much? Your thoughts were interrupted when the man, now Ardyn, removed his hat and offered you an overly dramatic bow.

 

“I thank you for your service and look forward to seeing you again, my dear,” and with that he placed his hat back on his head, turned, and walked out the door. You were left at the counter, pen shaking slightly in your grip as the weirdness of that whole interaction washed over you. You shook yourself out of it and placed the paper with his name inside of the book cover before storing it under the desk. With a frantic energy you did a quick onceover of the store and made sure to refill Mims food and water bowl before locking the front door and turning out the lights. You left out of the door at the rear of the store that had a flap at the bottom to allow Mims in and out. After you lock the back door you quickly made your way through the streets of Lestallum, mentally preparing yourself for whatever lecture you were going to get from your boss for being so late.

\--------------------

In the shadows of a back alley a figure watches as you lock the rear door to your shop. Honey hued eyes follow your form as you dash down the narrow streets, the twilight of the setting sun and the harsh lights of the town casting your form in a blanket of light and darkness. A dark chuckle escapes the figure as they shake their head in amusement, jostling the reddish locks of hair that adorn their head.

 

“Well well, my dear, let’s see if you’re the real thing or just another cheap trick conjured up by the Gods, shall we?”

 

Ardyn steps out from the shadows, a predatory glint in his eyes as he languidly moves forward to follow your hurried steps through Lestallum.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so you had a weird start to the day. Can't get any worse, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See, this is what happens when I go "I have an idea" but then don't make any kind of plan for it. Again, no beta reader and I'm just writing where the wind takes me.

**_It felt like you were floating. Any sounds you could hear were muffled and your vision was blurred. You tried to maneuver yourself to see if you could shift your perspective but found that you had no body to control. You were just a conscience floating in a glowing, pastel world. Despite knowing that you should feel unease, you found yourself extremely calm. Almost like this was a place you were supposed to be._ **

 

**_The muffled noises were starting to get louder and a bit more clear. You tried to concentrate and found that you could discern the noise as a voice. It was a deep voice, velvety soft with a gentle growl. You felt your conscience lean into it, like it was resonating warmth and you were a needy cat. There was something about it that made you feel safe, despite the muted words and lack of understanding._ **

 

**_Suddenly, you could feel yourself drifting away. You struggled against the sensation, not wanting to leave this blurry haven. Just as your mind broke out of the dream you could just make out the voice speak your name._ **

 

Your alarm was blaring unforgivingly as you jolted upright in your bed. You were so shocked by the sudden noise after the peacefulness of your dream that it felt like your heart was pounding in your throat. You took in several deep breaths, trying to calm down, before fumbling with your phone and shutting off the alarm. 

 

You feel back against your pillows with a huff, clearly annoyed at being awoken so suddenly from what was a rather pleasant dream.

 

_ That voice. Even if I couldn’t hear what it was saying, why did it seem so familiar? _

 

You tried your best to recall your dream, but like most this one faded quickly from memory, and with it the voice.

 

“Ah, damn.” You were frustrated, but you didn’t have time to dwell. You needed to get ready for the day. Your waitressing shift last night was rough and your body was still sore from the hours of walking and carrying heavy trays. You quickly went about your morning routine and threw on a sensible outfit for the day. You remembered that it was going to be another hot one and thought that it might be time to buy a small fan for the shop. 

 

Soon enough you were out your apartment door and out of the complex and heading to your shop with a lazy stride. The sun was just starting to rise, so there were still some cool shadows along the streets and buildings that contrasted with the barely there beams of sunlight. You breathed in deep, taking in the fresh air and began to hum to yourself. Despite how short the walk was from your apartment building to your shop you always found yourself slowing down and enjoying the trip. The air still had a bit of chill to it from the night before and you enjoyed it before it was quickly taken over by the heat of the sun. 

 

Taking a turn down the alley that lead to the back of your shop you suddenly paused. Something didn’t seem right. You squint your eyes and tried to focus on whatever was giving you reason to stop, but couldn’t find any tangible object responsible.  _ Wait, does this alley seem… darker than usual?  _ You jogged over to the neighboring alleys to see how they looked and sure enough they felt immensely more welcoming than the one that you needed to traverse to get to work. Walking back to your alley you did your best to steel yourself.  _ It’s probably just a weird light phenomenon. A natural illusion or something.  _ With your shop keys in one hand you grasp the container of pepper spray attached to the key ring to be ready for whatever happens and to calm yourself down.  _ I should really take some advice from the hunters and get a knife or something. _

 

You step into the alley with timid steps before shaking yourself and moved into a more normal pace. If there was something hiding here you didn’t want to seem like prey. A sense of unease began to grip at your heart and you had to fight the urge to move faster. You keep trying to tell yourself that you’re fretting over nothing, but a sudden noise made you freeze. You wait and listen, praying that it was just a trick of your mind. You hear a rustling behind you and you whip around to try and see what it was. Your breathing was starting to become heavy with fear and when you didn’t see anything you turned back and resumed your walk a bit quicker than before.

 

_ It’s probably nothing, it’s probably nothing, it’s probably nothing  _ was the mantra repeating over and over in your mind as you swiftly made your way through the still dark alley. As you walked you felt like this trip was taking longer than usual. Stopping again you looked around you to try and get a good look at where you were. While you recognized this side-street it felt distorted, too long to be normal. You let out a deep sigh and stepped forward, only to stop once your foot made contact with the ground. Was that an….echo? It sounded like there was a second footstep just after yours. You took another step and listened hard, held your breath, and there it was. 

 

_ Step... _

 

_ Oh, fuck this! _

 

You broke into a sprint, feet pounding the ground as you moved as fast as you were able. Your heart was like a jackhammer and your blood felt like ice in your veins. There was a roaring in your ears that prevented you from hearing anything, but you weren’t sure that you wanted to hear. All you wanted was to get to your shop, go inside, and lock yourself in your sanctuary of books. You nearly cried out in elation when you saw the back door to your shop and doubled your efforts to reach it. 

 

You nearly ran past the door and frantically searched through your keys to find the right one for the lock. The roaring in your ears dulled down and you could hear the sounds that resonated around you.  _ What in the actual fuck is happening?!  _  It was like you were in a horror movie, the kind you used to watch with your friends back in Insomnia on chilly autumn nights. It seemed like footsteps were surrounding you, the breeze carried voices and laughter that almost sounded cruel, and that same breeze tickled the hairs on the back of your neck like someone was behind you.

 

You finally found the right key and through some divine luck you got it in the lock on the first try. You gave it a harsh turn, yanked the key out, and then rushed inside. You closed the door behind you with a slam and nearly collapsed against it. Tears were starting to form in your eyes as the terror of what just happened truly caught up with you. You took in a deep breath, trying to calm your frazzled nerves, and let out a yelp as you felt something nudge at the back of your heels. Jumping away from the door you spin around to see what touched you.

 

“Mrow?” Mims stared up at you with owlish eyes from his position halfway through the cat door, upset that you had blocked his entry. You let out a soft curse before bending down and grabbing him, gently pulling him through the door before lifting him into your arms and nuzzling your face into his soft, furry body. Tears leaked from your eyes and Mims began to purr, and the sound and vibrations soothed your mind. Once you calmed down you carefully cradled the cat in your arms and moved to the back door.

 

Opening it a crack, you take a peek outside. From what you could see there was no evidence of the darkness or sounds that chased you through the alley. Feeling embolden by this you open the door further and step just outside of the doorframe, Mims purring loudly in your arms. 

 

Normal. Everything was completely normal. The alley was lit in the way it usually was at this time of day, there were no threatening, unnaturally dark shadows, no unusual noises. It was just the usual empty alley. You couldn’t help but let out an airy laugh.  _ Maybe my shift last night left me more exhausted than I thought.  _

 

“Probably just seeing things out of stress,” you said to Mims. He responded with a small ‘prrrup’ and began to squrim in your arms. You went back inside and closed the door before letting him down and watched him run out into the main shop over to where his food and water bowl sat, glaring at you with amber eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light of the shop.

 

Glancing at your phone you see that with your running you actually got to the shop sooner than usual, but obviously Mims merely saw that as an opportunity to get fed sooner. You gave him an affectionate look before going about your usual business of getting the shop ready to open.

\--------------------

As you turned and walked back inside with the cat in your arms Ardyn couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle at your antics from his hiding spot on a nearby roof. Oh, he knew that you would be fun to mess with, he just didn’t know how much fun you would be.

 

He hummed to himself as he moved to leave the rooftop, thinking of your false bravery as you traversed his rather harmless trap, thinking that you would fight back whatever was stalking you before turning tail and running for your life. He wondered if you would have the guts to fight if you had to. Certainly your doppelganger from the past could fight if push came to shove.

 

His thoughts paused for a moment as he entered the streets of Lestallum that were just starting to populate with the waking citizens. He shook his head absentmindedly and let out a sigh. It was still too soon to know if you were truly the one he was thinking of. You shared an uncanny likeness with his companion from so long ago, even your voice was the same as theirs. Ardyn’s pace slowed and came to a stop as he thought of the similarities between you and his once close love. A solemn look came over Ardyn’s face as his thoughts turned to the past. 

 

He remembered laughter, the feeling of being carefree. He remembered the warmth of their hands on his face and the kisses they would pepper along his hairline. He remembers them whispering words of love and encouragement as he traveled to cure those afflicted with the scourge. He remembered their cries as his fate was revealed and he became a demon in the eyes of those he tried so hard to protect. 

 

Ardyn shook himself from these thoughts, finding himself glaring a hole into the stone streets of Lestallum. He resumed his walk while still pondering the possible meaning behind your existence.

 

It was entirely possible that your likeness was a coincidence or even a trick, a cruel joke put on by the Gods to further mock him. It wasn’t enough to be betrayed by his people, to be labeled a demon and left to rot on that desolated rock. Now, he had to know that there was someone out there who shared his beloved’s face? Their voice? Even their mannerisms. It was far too cruel and just what Ardyn would expect of those who damned him those millennia ago. A deep pain resonated from within his chest as the image of his beloved, as the image of you crawled into his mind.

 

Ardyn scoffed at the image and tamped down the feeling of pain. He was too jaded, too absolutely rotten to the core to feel these memories of joy and anguish. And he chided himself for beginning to think of you and his love as the same being.  _ Just a trick. It’s all just a trick. _ Still, his thoughts paused at this and he began to wonder.

 

Would it be foolish to think, to hope, that perhaps this wasn’t just a trick? That maybe his love’s spirit was reborn within you? That maybe, hidden somewhere within you were memories of a life long past and a soul that was reaching out to him?

 

_ This is all very frustrating, my dear. Won’t you come forth and end this little game?  _ Ardyn stopped and took in his surroundings. The sun was nearly at its peak, goodness was he reminiscing for that long? Looking around more closely Ardyn realized that he was very near to your shop. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself and began to saunter in the direction of the small bookstore. 

 

Whether or not you were a trick or the real thing, Ardyn was going to have some  _ fun. _

\--------------------

You sighed to yourself as you settled in behind the desk. It had been about two hours since you opened shop and you would be lying if you still weren’t a bit shaken from the events earlier. You glanced around the shop, filled with some familiar faces and some new ones. It was busier today than usual, the bell ringing at the door letting you know that another person just walked in, so you didn’t have time to stick your nose in your book and read. Instead you had to act the part of the gracious shop keeper. All you really wanted to do was go back home and go to bed. The heat didn’t help your mood either. The door was closed today in the vain hope of trying to trap in the cold air from the AC.

 

The weird dream and the bizarre scare in the alley had exhausted you mentally and put you in a bit of a foul mood. Not even the incessant meows and cuddles from Mims could quell your sense of agitation. You wanted to tell yourself that you were in a fowl mood for no good reason and that you need to get your head on straight, but you couldn't find the motivation. You were in a bad headspace and you didn’t know what would pull you out of it other than isolating yourself for a few hours and decompressing.

 

Time seem to pass at a snail's pace as you go through the motions of greeting customers, checking them out at the register, and bidding them farewell. You inwardly groaned as you check the time and see that was nearly time for you to take your lunch break. While it would give you a bit of a break, it was also a reminder that you still had several hours to go. A thought passed through your mind,  _ surely it wouldn’t be so bad to take my break a bit early today, right? _ You gave your small store a once over and saw that it was vacant of any customers. Letting out a small ‘whoop’ of victory you set out to get the store ready for your temporary departure. 

 

Mims seems to clue in on your excitement and starts mewling over at his food bowl while you pitter about the shop, collecting misplaced books and fluffing up the lounge furniture cushions and pillows for visitors who just wanted to sit and read. You hear him, but ignore his hungry mewls for a bit longer.  _ He acts like he’s starving, like he isn’t starting to chunk up. _ You moved back to the desk and started making note of the books you sold so far today and marked them for re-order and added some new books to the list recommended to you by customers. 

 

Mims was still mewling and pacing by his food and water bowl and once you were finished writing down what you needed you walked over to him, gave his chin a quick scratch, and then grabbed the food bowl and moved to the rear of the shop. It was where the back door was and also where your storage was and cat supplies. You could  _ still _ hear Mims making a fuss over his food and let out a gentle huff as you decided on a can of turkey bits with gravy for today. You were turning out the food into the bowl when you heard the unwelcoming sound of the front bell ringing.

 

_ Crap, must have forgotten to put out the ‘be back later’ sign. _ You finish putting the food in the bowl before walking out into the main area with a practiced friendly greeting on your tongue. You felt a sickening sense of  deja vu as once again any form of greeting died on your tongue at the sight before you. 

 

It was the same man from yesterday, the one who came in when you were about to close. Though you noticed that he lacked his hat this time around. Does he have a strange habit of showing up right before you leave? Probably just a strange coincidence. “H-hello, sir,” you managed to stammer out.  _ Why am I stuttering? Why does he give me the heebie jeebies?  _ You moved to place the food bowl down for Mims, though now he seemed less concerned about being fed and more interested in the man standing before you. He began to let out a soft growl, which only put you on edge.

 

“Please, don’t mind him. He gets a bit grumpy when he hasn’t been fed,” you offered to the man as he glanced to Mims with a curious gaze. Your mind suddenly perked up as you thought of the reason why the man was back at your shop. 

 

“Ah, are you here to pick up your book? Mr. …” You dragged out the last syllable as you moved behind the desk to retrieve the book. “Ardyn!” you exclaimed, snapping your fingers when you finally remembered his name.  _ And I didn’t even need to ask or look at the paper, heh. _ You did pause a bit after saying his name. Why did it seem....familiar on your tongue? Yeah, you met him yesterday, but this was more of like a intimate familiarity poking at the back of your mind.

 

You shake out the feeling and return to the task at hand, pulling the book out from under the desk and laying it on the counter. “I’m assuming you actually have your wallet today. Is there anything else I can-” You look up from ringing the book up to see that Ardyn was leaning against the counter and staring at you intensely. His face was unreadable and even his eyes didn’t betray any kind of emotion. “-do...for you?” Okay, this might be a little weird. How could he move so fast that you didn’t hear him approach you?

 

You were about to ask what he was up to when his face lit up with mischievous joy and you almost shuddered. He pushed back from the counter and once again threw his hands out in a theatrical way. Must just be a quirk of his. “My apologies once again, I was simply surprised that you remembered my name, my dear Y/N.” He gave you a small bow and, okay, you admitted to yourself that the theatrics were  _ kind of _ endearing, though you suspected that the man might not be to keen with that thought. 

 

“And I see you’ve remembered mine as well,” you finished, hoping to make this a quick transaction. You might not be able to leave early for lunch, but you were going to make sure you left on time at the very least. 

 

“Now, same as before, the total amount due is 2,056 gil,” you said, eagerly looking to the man in the hopes that he would be hasty with this. Instead, as if to spite you, he takes a few languid steps back to the counter and makes a show out of searching for his wallet hidden somewhere within the layers of clothing. You swear that you could feel yourself start to vibrate with agitation at his actions. 

 

He makes a small “aha” sound when he locates it and you perk up slightly.  _ Soon, soon I’ll be out of here for a bit and I can recharge. _ Still, Ardyn wasn’t making it easy for you. He wore an obviously fake mask of concentration while sorting through the money, maybe trying to come out with an exact amount to eliminate the need for change. Although it was probably more to just rile you up some more, you suspected. 

 

He makes a few more contemplative sounds before laying down the money on the counter. You mummer out a ‘thank you’ and start counting the gil. Your brows furrow as you count and recount the money in your hand. He was short a few hundred gil.

 

“Uh, sir?”

 

“Please, call me Ardyn. I insist.”

 

“Ah, okay. Ardyn, it looks like you still owe me about 300 gil.” you managed to get out. You’ve had unpleasant encounters before with customers who were short on cash and you didn’t really want to deal with another one. Still, Ardyn didn’t seem bothered by this news. In fact, he looked rather pleased with himself.

 

_ Oh, no. _

 

“Oh, so I am. My most sincere apologies.” Again with the apologies. You didn’t even have time to let out an exasperated sigh before Ardyn continued. 

 

“I couldn’t help but notice that you seem to be in a bit of a hurry. Are you possibly leaving soon for lunch?” You only nodded in confirmation, not trusting whatever words might come out of your mouth in this moment. He offered you a smile that seemed predatory at the corners, eyes glinting with mysterious intent.

 

“Then, please allow me to make up the difference in price and payment by treating you to lunch,” he stated. It wasn’t a question of asking for permission. It was more like a statement. Something he  _ will  _ do rather than might do.

 

At this you had to laugh, just a little bit. 

 

“Aha- I’m sorry, sir-, I mean, Ardyn. But that’s not going to happen,” you asserted. Honestly, you couldn’t even comprehend the gall of this guy, asking you so blatantly out to lunch after speaking to you only twice. “And besides, if you can afford to take me to lunch then surely you can afford the full price of this book.” 

 

Ardyn feigned disappointment and let out a sigh. “While I suppose that’s true, I would think that you would surely be impressed enough by the offer and the experience to follow to let it slide?” 

 

Okay, so he was a smooth talker who spoke a big game, then. Fine, you could play along. You’ve dealt with enough overconfident guys to know that usually if you countered big enough they’ll leave you alone. Plus, he was clearly older than you by a fair bit and you weren’t so comfortable with the ‘flirting’ with such an evident age gap.

 

“You know, I would  _ really _ be impressed by you paying for this book in full, leaving a generous tip,  _ and  _ buying me lunch,” you laid the sickly sweet sarcasm thick over your words, hoping that he would take the hint that you didn’t really care for his behavior and would leave you alone.

 

Alas, the Astrals weren’t on your side today, it seemed. 

 

Ardyn flashed you another grin before pulling out more gil from his wallet and laying it on the counter. You didn’t have to count to see that it was more than enough pay for the book  _ without _ what he already gave you. He waited for you to count out the total amount of gil and then interrupted you when you started to protest.

 

“You can keep the change, my dear,” He reached across the counter and snatched up the book before tucking it under an arm. You were still sputtering about the sudden turn of events, fully not prepared for his response. Implying you wanted more money, even in a sarcastic way, was supposed to be a deterrent! It usually worked, so why not now? What was with this guy?

 

You were still in a daze when you finished separating the payment amount for the book and whatever was left over for the ‘tip’ when you heard a gentle “ahem” coming from the wine haired man before you. You finished what you were doing and looked to him to see… he had his right arm bent and held out towards you? Oh no. Oh come on!

 

“Come now, my dear. Allow me to escort you to one of my most preferred lunch spots. I can guarantee that it will be worth it,” he finished his sentence with a  _ wink _ . How did you find yourself in this situation?

 

Before you knew it, you were locking up the shop and being led through Lestallum on the arm of a mysterious man whom you only met yesterday. You were still lost in your own head as he walked you to the edge of town and then down a small ally that contained some small shops and living quarters. The sensation of holding onto him, of walking with and being led by him made your head feel like it was swimming. He might have been talking to you but you couldn’t process anything he said.He stopped in front of an unassuming door, gave a few knocks, and then pulled it open to lead you inside.

 

The reality of the situation didn’t really hit you until Ardyn led you to a small table next to a window and offered you a menu before voicing some of his recommendations. 

 

You were out on your lunch break with a man you don’t even know. The only thing you did know for was his name. 

 

You were out to lunch with Ardyn.

 

_ Oh, great. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come visit me on tumblr at chocobro-chick.tumblr.com I promise I don't bite


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a few months now, anyone still here? Anyways, sorry about the long wait between updates. I've been struggling with how I want this story to be paced and I'm thinking that if I don't keep it relatively quick I'll loose interest. So the progression of the story is probably gonna pick up from here. I have nothing but the utmost respect for those authors who can write novel length stories, alas I am not one of them. I've put myself on a writing schedule, so hopefully the next chapter shouldn't take several months to post.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which the author doesn't know the basic principles of pacing and continues to just throw spaghetti at a wall until something sticks.

Sitting across from you in this hole-in-the-wall eatery, one would say that Ardyn was looking entirely too pleased with himself. Your eyes were tracking slowly over the menu, still trying to come to terms with your current situation, and Ardyn was just sitting there, staring at you with his head resting on folded hands. His gaze was intense and filled with mirth as he watched you pointedly not make eye contact with him and instead busied yourself by looking around the interior and then back to the menu.

 

“It’s quite a lovely establishment once you get past the interior appearance,” he offered to you, trying to grab your attention and break the silence. However, you only made a humming sound and continued block him out. He was a bit irked by that, but knew that he could pull you out of your shell with the right amount of coaxing. By now you had stopped looking at anything all together, eyes focused on nothing and drifting aimlessly across the menu in front of you, and instead were stuck within your own thoughts. Ardyn let out a soft chuckle at your antics. It was almost childish in the way that you were ignoring him.

 

“And I can promise you that the food is to _die_ for,” and this wasn’t him being facetious. True, living for over two thousand years in combination with the scourge ravaging his body had dulled his sense of taste and his other senses as well, but on a lark he had come here around a decade ago and found that the flavor of the food had burst across his taste buds. He was immediately taken with the food that and he found himself returning quite often. It was a old place with an old family with even older recipes, passed down through the generations, possibly going so far back as to when Ardyn was-

 

“...recommended?” Ardyn gently shook his head, trying to escape those thoughts and trying to hear what you had asked.

 

“Forgive me, but one more time? I was a bit lost in thought.” Ardyn focused his attention on you once again, silently thankful for the distraction.

 

“I was asking for what you recommended earlier. I… I’m not really familiar with the items on the menu,” you said in a soft voice, your disdainful tone clearly showing how displeased you were at having to ask for help. A soft grin spread across Ardyn’s features.

 

“Well, I suppose it would all depend on what you would prefer…” and so the two of you spent the next few minutes discussing your likes and dislikes, with Ardyn delighting in your attention and with the knowledge that he might uncover more links between you and your past doppelganger. He also noticed that you seemed to unfurl from yourself a bit as the two of you kept talking, the conversation threatening to drift away from the topic of food and onto something else entirely.

 

You became more free with your smiles and your voice changed from being guarded to open and friendly. Your eyes even shined with comfort and enjoyment, something that Ardyn found himself preferring when compared to the blank and defensive look from earlier.

 

Much to Ardyn’s dismay you caught yourself before the conversation derailed anymore and again tried to shut yourself off from him. His mood darkened a bit at being snuffed yet again before you offered a small ‘thank you’ and turned your eyes back to the menu with a faint blush on your cheeks. An unexpected feeling of warmth passed through Ardyn, the same warmth he felt when you had exclaimed his name out in your shop earlier. He did his best to stomp it out, not liking that he was being so affected by a simple _blush_.

 

_Too soon. It’s still too soon to know for sure._

 

For now, Ardyn would simply resign himself to observe and make small talk with you. To chip away at your exterior until he either found what he was looking for or be sorely disappointed in having wasted his time. There were parts of him that wanted to forgo this entire act and simply make you to be who you _used_ to be. These urges were thankfully easy to ignore since he was still so unsure about you, but he was still curious enough to pursue you to see how this whole thing develops.

 

* * *

 

Even though you were sitting right across from him, menu in hand, you still couldn’t believe that you were actually out to lunch with Ardyn, a man you had literally met yesterday. You couldn’t help but compare him to a video game character with high charisma stats with how easily he seemed to sweep you off your feet and out of your shop. You should have been unnerved with how easily he managed to take you along and pull you into a pretty ratty looking place for lunch, but something within you fought against the feeling of unease.

 

Maybe it was because after looking around the place you found that it actually looked quite quaint which put you more at ease. Maybe it was because after your question the two of you fell into an almost comfortable conversation when speaking of your culinary tastes. For some reason you felt rather calm around him when you knew logically that you shouldn’t. You should be nervous, wary, should have told him ‘no’ to his offer for lunch, should have ended your interactions with him the moment he paid for the book and left it at that.

 

What you should have been, was, a bitch. And yet, here you were.

 

And, as much as you hated to admit it to yourself, you weren’t having the most miserable time of your life like you thought you would be. In fact, if you were perfectly honest with yourself your unexpected lunch with Ardyn was turning into a downright pleasant experience. When the food you had ordered came the smell wafted over you with its heavenly aroma and the two of you ate mostly in silence. You just didn’t know what to say, but Ardyn didn’t seem so keen to start up another conversation after he started eating his own meal.

 

You also couldn’t help but notice how he would stare at you while not even trying to hide the fact that he was. It unnerved you, just a bit. There was never any emotion on his face when you caught him looking, but there was something swimming behind those golden eyes. Something that might be dangerous. Something that seemed to be calling out to you.

 

Still, you knew that you had to keep your guard up around him. Whatever his intentions may be, friendly or otherwise, you were still just one person with nobody who you could really call a friend in the humid city of Lestallum. Acquaintances sure, but no real friends who were on the ‘ride or die’ level like back in Insomnia. You might be enjoying yourself now, but you had to be ready for anything.

 

Something in your vision was catching your attention and it took you a few seconds to figure out what it was. You didn’t even realize that you had spaced out when you saw and heard Ardyn snapping his fingers in front of you, trying to catch your attention. You blinked and gave your head a quick shake, trying to focus on the man in front of you.

 

“There you are. I was wondering where you went inside that mind of yours. Care to share?” Ardyn had a friendly smile on his face as he asked this, but again, you saw something else just behind those eyes. You gave a nervous laugh, still a bit shaken at being caught so unawares.

 

“Ah, nothing much. Just, you know, thinking,” you answered with a shrug.

 

“Thinking about what, if I may be so bold as to ask?”  


“Just, um, how sudden this all feels, I guess. I only just met you yesterday and here you are treating me to lunch,” you spoke freely, trying to get across to the man in front of you how strange this must be. “It all feels a bit, ah, rushed.”

 

At this Ardyn just chuckled, a deep sound reverberating from his chest and sending shivers down your spine.

 

“Well, all companionships must start somewhere, hm?”

 

You… really couldn’t argue with that. You gave an hum in agreement, still not quite convinced by his answer but not having a valid argument against it. You wanted to argue back, some primal part of you rising on its hackles and ready to run, but you didn’t want to appear rude and just bail.

 

“Sorry, I guess just being in a new place and all makes me a bit jittery when it comes to making friends,” and it was true. The friends you had back in Insomnia were made though growing up together and living out your lives constantly in each other’s presence. You didn’t have that experience with anyone in Lestallum, and while you had an easy enough time talking to customers, it just felt like making friends was like walking through molasses.

 

Ardyn seemed to perk up when you mentioned being in a ‘new place’ but didn’t offer anything else to add to the conversation. Instead, the two of you finished your respective meals in a comfortable silence. The two of you managed to get a few more minutes of empty conversation in before your phone went off, reminding you that your lunch break was over and it was time to return to the shop.

 

True to his word, Ardyn paid for your portion of the meal and even left a generous tip before escorting you out of the eatery. How much cash did this guy carry on hand? He once again offered his arm to you like when he first escorted you away from your shop. You hesitated, letting out a tentative ‘uh’ before tensely looping your arm through his. You figured that he was just an old fashioned kind of guy and didn’t really get that this type of action wasn’t the norm anymore. You looked to Ardyn with guarded eyes, trying to see if you could pick apart his intentions with a glance, but he only offered you a smile and began to walk you back to your shop.

 

As the two of you walked together you noticed that a strange warmth was starting to settle within you. You felt your mind drifting and began to feel disconnected from your body, like your dream from this morning, and you fought to stay in the present. You didn’t want to appear amiss in your own head, just in case this was something that he could take advantage of. You felt kind of bad thinking such nervous thoughts about an otherwise completely polite, if not persuasive, stranger but you also knew that you still knew very little about him.

 

But, try as you might, you couldn’t quite shake the warmth that began to settle in your stomach. You noticed that Ardyn was humming something and the warm feeling increased tenfold. Something was niggling at the back of your mind, like the feeling of a memory not fully realized but struggling to be remembered. The tune he hummed felt like it could be a lullaby, but more like something that your great-grandmother would sing to you if she were around when you were a child. You unconsciously relaxed your body against Ardyn as you walked, your head dipping to the side and pressing against his shoulder.

 

_This… feels nice._  

 

You didn’t realize what you were doing until you came up on your shop and you nearly jolted away from Ardyn you were so shocked by your actions. You didn’t quite step away from him as he still had a firm grip on your arm, but you managed to pull him a bit off balance as you tried to hurriedly step away from him. How long had you been walking like that and didn’t even realize it?

 

“Sorry about that, I’m probably still tired from this morning,” you stuttered out.

 

“Oh? Had a rough morning, hm?” He was still holding onto you, though his grip had loosened a touch. You took this opportunity to pull your arm free and began to fish for your keys.

 

“Y-yeah. I had a weird dream this morning,” Still fumbling for the keys to the front door, you turned your back to him and stepped closer to the door. You could hear the soft mewls of Mims from the inside, complaining like he hadn’t eaten in years when it’s only been about an hour.

 

“Care to share?” His voice was deep and husky, and much closer than you expected it to be. Like right by your ear close. You shifted a bit and felt the loose fabric of Ardyn’s long coat brushing against your backside and your heart clenched in your chest. Forcing your breathing to remain steady you find the correct key and practically shove it into the lock and quickly forced the door open. You were lucky you didn’t break the key.

 

Mims was there to greet you as you opened the door and put down the door jam and brushed against your legs, purring all the while. He didn’t seem to catch on your tense mood, or maybe he did and that’s why he was being so loving towards you. You quickly scoop him up in your arms and turn around, holding your breath in case Ardyn was still standing unreasonably close to you. Thankfully, he was still on the outside of the shop threshold with a jovial smirk playing on his lips. You wanted to slap him.

 

“Well, like with most dreams I can’t really remember it,” you say, steel in your voice like you were trying to tell him how irked you were by your behavior without straight up telling him. Mims started to growl in your arms, his eyes fixed on the man standing in the doorway to the shop and giving you an even more uneasy feeling.

 

“It would appear that your feline friend isn’t so fond of me,” Ardyn said with a small chuckle before looking straight into your eyes. Something in those molten depths called out to you, and in a distant part of your mind something wanted to answer, you could feel it. You stamped the feeling down, still perturbed by his closeness mere moments before.

 

“Sorry, he might be in a bit of a mood. He’s an older cat and prone to mood swings.” A lie. Sure he might get persistent and bug you, but he never got aggressive. Like ever. Another point for the ‘Be Wary of Ardyn’ board.

 

“Will you be staying for a while or do you need to leave?” You really wanted him to leave, both so that you could feel at ease and so that you could get your thoughts straightened out. He was such a mystery, every rational part of you telling you to stay away from him, but he somehow had the power to make you feel relaxed in his presence even if you weren’t aware of it.

 

You had to admit that the lunch was nice, and so was the large tip for the book. Maybe, just _maybe_ , you were reading him all wrong and you shouldn’t be so mentally guarded. But you liked to play it safe, so safe was how you were gonna play it. Best case scenario, you were totally wrong about him and he was actually just a really nice and eccentric man. Maybe he could be a friend. Worst case scenario?

 

Better not think about that now. You didn’t really want to have a crisis in front of the person who would be the cause of said crisis.

 

“I would like to, but unfortunately I must be on my way.” and with this you let out a small sigh. You flashed him a small smile from your spot inside the shop, hoping that he couldn’t read your expression like a book and convinced him that nothing was wrong.

 

“Well, thanks for treating me to lunch today, and for coming in to pick up the book, and for leaving me a tip.” Your voice wavered a bit as you tried to maintain a false tone of cheer. You waved your hand at him in farewell and he in turn gave you a small bow before leaving your sight. You didn’t miss the way his smirk turned into a full blown grin as he turned to walk away.

 

The moment he left your vision you let out a deep sigh and went over the events of the day in your head as you plopped Mims down on the ground and went to go get him a treat. It was… unexpectedly pleasant, though definitely a touch strange and a bit scary there at the end. Nothing horrible had happened to you other than the occasional feeling of discomfort when Ardyn got physically close to you. Other than that, it was an okay outing for lunch. You had planned on going to your usual food cart to grab some skewers and instead got treated to a nice lunch at an unexpectedly great place. _I’ll need to backtrack later and find that place again._ All of this being led by an unusual stranger who seemed determine to interact with you despite only meeting you yesterday and in spite of your near obvious distrust of him.

 

You settled in behind your desk and tossed Mims some small snacks, huffing out a laugh as he tried and failed to catch one morsel in midair. After putting away the treats you told yourself that you weren’t going to let the odd start to your day bother you. He was just one guy and probably wasn’t _too_ harmful, just a bit odd. You were pulled from your thoughts as some curious passerbys stepped into your store and after a brief greeting made their way to browse the shelves.

 

The hours seem to both fly by and move at a snail's pace all in one. Try as you might you couldn’t get your mind away from what happened at lunch, even as the sun was starting to set and the natural light from outside began to dim. You cursed yourself for being so timid in his presence, not wanting to come of as some shy creature needing to be coaxed out of their shell. You weren’t like this back in Insomnia. You were bolder, less afraid of trying new things and meeting new people. But you also had a close support group back at home… but Lestallum was your home now, even though you were taking your sweet time at accepting that fact. The fact still remained, with your old friends you felt more comfortable with new things. Here, isolated from them, you discovered that you weren’t super comfortable with anything anymore other than the day to day operations of your store and the night shift as a server.

 

Speaking of which, you had another long shift tonight. You groaned and rested your head on the desk, not worrying if anybody was around to see. You had just about had your fill of people for the day, especially with how taxing it was to be in Ardyn’s presence. Why did he seem so determine to hang out earlier with lunch? He could have just as easily walked away and found someone else to join him, or he could have just eaten alone.

 

He did make a valid point over lunch, however, about the beginning of relationships and how they needed to start somewhere. Maybe he was looking to make some new acquaintances and this was the one way he knew how. You had to agree with him on the point he made, but felt unsure on how he chose to go about ‘getting to know you’. Sure, friendships needed to start somewhere, but you doubted that included being suddenly swept to lunch with a charming stranger.

 

You felt like you were thinking in circles at this point, barley registering the influx and outflux of customers. You didn’t even notice how the light in the shop was changing as the sun continued to set and only made quiet hums towards customers with questions or wanting to purchase a book. You were completely lost in your own head as your thoughts swirled into darker and darker scenarios of how the day could have ended with how easily you went along with Ardyn.

 

You felt ice settling in your veins. Something from deep within you stirred, something unfamiliar and distant, like a memory trying to dig its way to the surface. A feeling of warmth, of affection, of dread and fear simultaneously tugging at the edge of your mind and it felt so foreign and yet somehow it was still something you felt deeply. You looked around your shop to find it empty and took the opportunity to duck into the back room.

 

What in the world was happening? You felt like you were going crazy and it all started because some strange man in a fedora showed up at your shop with a glint in his eyes and an uncanny aura about him.

 

You slowed your breathing and tried to calm down. You were just.... overreacting. You’re still relatively new to the area, so you still have jitters about your new home and new people. That’s all. That has to be all. One man can’t have had such an affect on you, it was totally unreasonable.

 

If Ardyn kept showing up you would need to be on guard, but not so much that you looked like a bitch. You were still fighting with yourself on the possible motives he might have for the lunch adventure today. Was he just trying to be friendly? He obviously knew Lestallum pretty well if he knew about that hidden gem of a restaurant. He could just be trying to make you feel more comfortable and welcome in town, despite not realizing that his actions had the opposite effect.

 

Or maybe he could actually be dangerous and singled you out as a new person in town with few connections. You really had no idea and didn’t want to dwell too much on the possible darker reasons for Ardyn’s sudden interest in you. And what was with the way your body reacted around him? How could he make you feel so comfortable around him when logically you knew that the way he treated you was weird, like you were somehow an old friend and his actions were like an inside joke that you just weren’t getting? You needed to be on your guard around him from now on. No more with giving into the warmth that seemed to suddenly blossom when he’s near, no more drifting into your own mind when he’s present. You needed to be aware and wary around him until you discovered exactly what he was after.

 

You checked the time and cursed, not realizing that you had spent nearly thirty minutes in the back being lost in thought. You rushed out to the front just in time to greet a couple walking in through the door. You composed yourself and was nearly to the point of counting down the minutes to when you could close the door and leave.

 

Soon enough it was time to close and you got ready to head off to your second job, resolve set in your mind that you would be stronger around Ardyn if he ever decided to try and whisk you away for another unexpected outing. After handling the final purchases of the day, locking the front door, and taking care of Mims you left out the back door, your gait steady and strong. You weren’t going to let this one dude leave you shaken, you were better and stronger than that. And maybe you were overreacting, but better to be safe than very, very sorry.

 

* * *

 

Ardyn had to admit to himself that after leaving you at your shop he was… not doing well. As quickly as he grinned and turned away from the store he had to duck into a nearby alley and calm his racing thoughts. Memories appeared unbridled and wild in his mind, the more joyous parts of his past speeding through his mind and tearing it asunder with its intensity, only to be suddenly replaced by the horrific scenes of his last days.

 

Being attacked by his brother as the scourge took over, seeing your, no no, _their_ face twisted in horror not for what he had become but for what was happening to him. Looking up and seeing a blade begin its descent towards his body, looking to his side when something moved quickly in his field of vision, seeing _them_ rush in front of him and taking the blow. The horrific crack of metal breaking bone and slicing through muscle, _their_ screams that echoed in the air, the tears that streamed down _their_ face as he held _them_ for the last time...

 

“ **NO!** ”

 

His facade cracked as his voice echoed off the walls in the alley, distorted with sorrow and rage. Black liquid began seeping out of his eyes, his mouth, and his skin as dark particles began to surround him. Whatever light that the alley was receiving from the sun was fading as the narrow alley was filled with darkness and Ardyn could feel the daemons clawing underneath his skin, desperate to come out and cause havoc. But Ardyn was quick to right himself, internally berating himself for having lost control so easily.

 

Just as quickly as his face changed to its true form it shifted back, the particles in the air dispersing and allowing the sunlight to caress the alley and Ardyn’s form once more, though to him it felt more like a persistent burn. He spat out a mouthful of the foul black liquid and let out a humorless chuckle.

 

“Just day two and I’m already losing it, hm? Day two of seeing them and knowing of them and…” Ardyn fell silent, watching the minuscule particles drift through the air like dust before they fully disintegrated. The silence continued, with Ardyn coming to the conclusion that no one was near enough to bear witness to his sudden lack of composure. It wouldn’t do to cause such a stir now, not when things were just getting started.

 

Ardyn heaved out a sigh and leaned his head back against the wall. When you called out his name in the shop he couldn’t help but think back to when _they_ would call out to him in an excited greeting. Walking arm in arm with you to and from the restaurant was near torture, so similar to walking with _them_ that he nearly forgot where he was and fighting back the urge to bring up old topics of conversations. Conversations that you would have no knowledge of. When you had put your head on his shoulder there was a burst of euphoria that nearly blinded his vision. There was _something,_ something that was within you that was calling out to him.

 

He needed to dig that part out of you. He needed to break down your walls and become a constant presence in your life so that he may gain what was lost so long ago. Gone were the thoughts that he should take his time to poke and prod at you until he could decide if you truly held _that_ soul within you. He’s made up his mind. You were the one. You had to be. There had been other’s in the past, other’s who teased him with their voices and their appearance, but none of them called out to his soul like yours did. He had snuffed out those others without mercy but now his heart trembled at the thought of losing _them,_ of losing _you_ again.

 

He needed to make you his once more. He thought he could be patient in this process, he had been so in the past, but after today? After having been so close to _you_ , with the presence of _them_ calling out to him so fervently, his carefully concocted plan fell apart in mere moments. He would still need to be careful, though. It wouldn’t do any good to scare you off, not that you could run from him so easily but he still would rather you come to like him willingly. Either way, you would still be his.

 

That being said, he still had full intentions of having some _fun_ with you.

 

A sound at the back of the alley had Ardyn snapping his head to attention, golden eyes glaring into the empty space before him. It was faint, but in the silence Ardyn could hear it. Someone was breathing, their breath stifled and short, clearly afraid that they had been seen. With a grim scowl in place Ardyn moved slowly to the back of the alley, noting that this was one that lead to a dead end.

 

How unfortunate.

 

For them.

 

The sound of shuffling feet and staccato breathing let Ardyn know that whoever was here had seen what just happened and they were _very_ afraid. And that there wasn’t even just one person. Walking past the barriers created by dumpsters and empty boxes Ardyn found 3 men, hunters by the looks of their clothing. They were crouched together, an abandoned card game scattered at their feet with half-empty beer cans marking where they had been sitting before being frightened into a huddle. Well, just another case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

“Gentlemen! I’m afraid that today isn’t your lucky day.” he said with a snarl and then he was upon them.

 

They didn’t even have the chance to scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey, I haven't been super active on tumblr lately but feel free to come scream at me at chocobro-chick.tumblr.com

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me at tumblr!  
> chocobro-chick.tumblr.com


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